Atmospheric plasma increases breathability of spunbond nonwoven fabrics

A study conducted by Texas Tech University and Enercon Industries Corp. has determined that when spunbond polypropylene nonwoven fabrics are pretreated with atmospheric plasma it increases the breathability of the fabric.

Atmospheric plasma treatment increases the number of pores and enlarges the pore size of the fabric improving the diffusion of vapor between the filaments in the spunbond structure without compromising the barrier properties. These properties are significant when developing disposable products for medical applications such as surgical masks, gowns and drapes.

There is a demand for barrier fabrics in medical applications using low-cost, nonwoven material that is breathable, flexible, and resistant to blood and viral penetration, and that can be sterilized. Enercon’s Plasma3™ is an inline, dry and continuous-surface treatment process for web application. Its treatment techniques provide a fast, efficient and eco-friendly breathability effect on nonwoven textile surfaces.

Dr. Seshadri Ramkumar’s group in the Nonwovens & Advanced Materials Laboratory and colleagues in the Departments of Chemistry and Biochemistry and Mechanical Engineering, Texas Tech University collaborated with Enercon to explore environmental friendly ways to enhance the breathability of nonwoven synthetic fabrics. The Journal of Industrial Textiles published the results of the study.

Enercon Industries is a manufacturer of equipment for the plastics, converting and packaging industries. The company supplies custom built corona and atmospheric plasma treating systems, as well as induction cap sealing systems.